Less than three weeks after a Mirage 2000 trainer aircraft crashed in Bengaluru killing two IAF officers, two Surya Kiran aircraft collided mid-air and crashed yesterday, once again in Bengaluru.
The Surya Kiran aircraft were part of an IAF aerobatic team, undertaking a practice sortie a day before the opening of the 12th edition of Aero India. The crash took the life of Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi while putting Wing Commander Vijay Shelke and Squadron Leader Tejeshwar Singh in hospital.
Although the exact causes of the latest accident will only be known after investigation, the unacceptably high crash rate in the Indian armed forces calls for a serious revamp of aircraft inventory and maintenance. To underline the severity of the problem, just since 2015-16 the three services have lost over 40 aircraft and helicopters in crashes, claiming close to 50 lives.
Shortage of training aids like simulators is a worry, as is shoddy maintenance. Better quality control in this area is clearly imperative, and some of this falls within the ambit of the armed forces themselves.
The controversies surrounding defense acquisition have only worsened the pace of induction of foreign imports, even as indigenous production hasn’t been ramped up. The loss of lives of our winged officers is the tragic cost of these failures.
Read also: Two Surya Kiran aircraft crash during practice at Aero India in Bengaluru, one pilot dead